


Memento Mori

by Dawn21Saber



Series: Saber’s Archives of Variangst [5]
Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010)
Genre: Almost Dying, Canon Divergence, Gen, I don’t like Frederic-, Latin translations, Not Much to Tag Honestly, Ruddiger is the best, Time Skips, Varian Angst (Disney), almost hanging, how does one tag that kinda stuff??, i don’t speak Latin so they probably aren’t perfect, mentions of dying, reminds of losing time, throughout the entire thing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-17
Updated: 2020-11-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:41:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27598370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dawn21Saber/pseuds/Dawn21Saber
Summary: A year. Such a long time, you might think. So much time to do with as you please. You can use it to its fullest, or throw it all away.365 days525,600 minutes31,536,000 secondsIt seems so long, agonizingly long as the time ticks away.But when a year is all you have left...It couldn’t be shorter.
Relationships: There’s too many to individually name, Varian (Disney) & Other(s)
Series: Saber’s Archives of Variangst [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1928278
Comments: 16
Kudos: 62





	Memento Mori

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, look, I know I said I was taking a break from angst but then UA happened and I got sad and wanted to get that out so here-
> 
> But basic concept of this idea: treason = death and basically I’m assuming that’s what Varian’s eventual punishment was going to be, despite how Rapunzel would feel towards her father. In the Kingdom’s eyes, he was a traitor and a terrorist and, no matter the age, the result would be death via gallows or guillotine. 
> 
> No character death occurs, Kay? Y’all are safe for now cause I don’t really write character death often if at all XD This one shot heavily revolves around dying, however, so do proceed with caution.
> 
> TW: mentions of death (throughout the entire thing), hanging (doesn’t happen but almost)

**365:00:00:00**

The ticking of a clock was ever present, the ticking echoing in his ears.

Now, there was no clock present in the dungeons, but that didn’t change the ticking of his internal clock. The clock that was ever aware of the passage of time. The clock that woke him at seven in the morning every day and made him aware of the days that passed without sleep.

The clock that reminded him that a year didn’t seem so long now.

In the past, he would’ve groaned at the idea of waiting for a year for something. But now?

The young alchemist shuddered as he wished for this year to tick by as slowly as possible. But he knew that wouldn’t happen. Because when your life was on the line – when death was the end game...

Time couldn’t pass by quicker.

**358:12:00:00**

Varian had been thrown into jail and a week later he was given a death sentence. He’d known this even before the sentence had been reached. The king had swore it when he’d met the boy the day he was put in the dungeons.

In a year’s time, he would be hung in the gallows where the hateful eyes of all of Corona could see.

The king hadn’t cared that he was only fourteen, he hadn’t cared he was suffering the loss of a parent, he hadn’t cared the kingdom had drove him into such desperate attempts for them to listen.

Not only had the king not cared, but neither had Rapunzel or any of his supposed friends.

She hadn’t come to check on him, neither had Eugene nor Cassandra. It was only by luck that he’d heard the guards in front of his cell whispering about the princess departing from Corona to follow the black rocks.

He gave a bitter laugh as he rested against the stone wall, head hanging low and arms dangling, hands shackled together. His mind traveled back to his sentence.

It felt strange, knowing his time on this Earth was to be cut short. All he could hope for after his soul left this mortal coil was that Rapunzel or someone would find some way to free his father. If he were to make a dying wish,his father’s freedom would be it.

**273:12:00:00**

Roughly three months had passed and Varian was losing all the anger he’d once held onto. He was no longer angry at Corona, far from it actually. He’d come to understand Rapunzel’s decision. Although he may not agree with it or her actions afterwards, he understood.

The princess was probably terrified to come see him after the blizzard had disappeared. Scared to see the consequences of her inaction. Though, this inaction to see him did cause him to spiral further into madness...

Oh, well, can’t be helped now.

_Tick tick tick tick._

The clock continued ticking as his mind once again wandered from the princess to his impending doom. Two hundred and seventy three days left until his sentence was reached.

Regret filled his heart and made him sick. He’d never gotten the chance to tell dad he loved him one last time, and, if things didn’t change, he never would. Even if someone freed his father somehow, Quirin would never hear Varian’s voice again. Or see his face, or hear his laughter, or have a heart attack anytime Varian disappeared into the woods to wander or search for alchemical substances.

He would miss his father.

**124:12:00:00**

Varian tapped his bare feet on the cold stone floor from his place on his “bed”. For roughly a month now, he’d begun tapping out the seconds with his feet or hands. It gave him a noise to focus on since he couldn’t talk. The guards didn’t like talking and had punished him more than enough times for him to learn that quickly. Except Stan and Pete – they didn’t mind talking with Varian now that the young boy wasn’t so hostile anymore.

In fact, they’d even played cards last time the two had guarded his cell. Varian wasn’t hostile, rather he was lonely now. They saw that and made good company for him. He had no cell mate because they’d refused to throw a fourteen-year-old child in with a grown adult.

Of all things they did wrong, it was about time they did something right.

Speaking of the two guards, they were guarding his cell now. Neither of them had spoken much since their shift had started, which was unusual but not unheard of. Some nights were like that – silent other than the tapping of Varian’s feet or Pete’s whistling. Stan would join in and the two would make a song, Varian even joining in by tapping a rhythm.

It was strange to think he’d miss Stan and Pete, too, when he was gone.

**59:12:00:00**

Tears slipped down Varian’s cheeks. They were, however, happy tears. Despite his grim situation, he was crying with joy.

 _Ruddiger._ Dear, sweet, loyal, intelligent Ruddiger. His faithful companion, his other half, his animal guide, his friend to the end was here. Ruddiger was here with him. The raccoon was rubbing against Varian’s tear-stained cheek, purring with joy at seeing his boy.

Stan and Pete were smiling at the sight. Stan had found the raccoon snacking on a few apples in the market a few days prior and convinced him to come to the castle. Of course, he’d snuck the animal in as the king wouldn’t be executing Varian alone if he found out.

”Happy birthday, kid,” Pete whispered as he crouched down, smiling through the bars separating him from the boy.

Varian looked up, tears still falling down his face. He opened his mouth to speak and stopped. He didn’t trust his voice. He hadn’t spoken a word other than whispers in almost a year. So, instead, he nodded and mouthed, “Thank you!” to the two guards.

As he hugged Ruddiger and rubbed his soft fur, Varian went rigid.

_Tick tick tick tick._

The ticking was louder – it was closer to the end game.

He didn’t want to leave Ruddiger.

**00:07:00:00**

Varian was curled up, back against the wall and his hands grabbing hold of his head. He was trembling with fear. Ruddiger was pressed against his side, whining at his boy’s distress.

Today was the day. Today was the day his sentence ended. Today was the day he would die.

He didn’t want to die. He was fifteen, not even a young adult. He had so much life ahead of him, so many things to do and see and invent.

_Tick tick tick tick._

He was terrified, to say the least. Tears were cascading down his face as he bit his lip to keep from crying out. He wanted so badly to call upon his father, to call for the constant in his life that had kept him grounded. Despite how harsh Quirin’s parenting may be, he still loved his son, this Varian knew. And he loved his dad, too.

He just wished for one final goodbye, that was all.

_Tick tick tick tick._

**00:04:00:00**

Time drew nearer. Time. Time. Time.

The one thing he wished he had more of was dwindling away like an ember in water. Smoke was rising from it as it drew nearer to the end of its life.

Varian was standing in between two guards he didn’t know. They weren’t any of the ones that had watched him in the dungeons, so he supposed these were the two tasked with execution duty.

Tears still stained his face, leaving the area around his eyes red and swollen. His eyes themselves were bloodshot, the baby blue dull and beginning to lose their light already.

He caught the guards glance at him from time to time only to quickly look away. He assumed it was his age. They didn’t want to do this. He could see it in their taunt facial expressions and stiff, robotic movements. They were only doing what they were tasked to do, he couldn’t fault them for that.

They weren’t the ones who wanted to kill a fifteen-year-old.

With only a few hours left until his execution, Varian closed his eyes and prayed as hard as he could. He didn’t want to die. Someone had to stop this.

Please, someone stop this. Stop the clock.

_Tick tick tick tick._

_Tempus non observat,_ rang in his head.

**00:01:13:35**

Varian stared at the rope swaying in the breeze from where he stood shrouded in the shadows of the small tunnel. The two guards each had a grip on his shoulders, not too tight but enough to remind him he wasn’t going anywhere.

” _Unius_ _anni finivit_ ,” rang the king’s voice as he began the execution announcement. “The time has come for the traitor to be put in his place. A terrorist of Corona, a threat to the entire kingdom – he shall breathe his last breath today.”

Varian shuddered as the guards began walking him out. His lip quivered as he held in his cries and pleas. They would get him no where.

His time was almost up.

He looked up at the sky as the entered the gallows area, squinting at the sun. Well, he guessed he would finally meet his mother again...

Varian stood on the wooden platform, the guards having to hoist him up on the box beneath the rope.

Varian stared at the rope with wide eyes, body beginning to tremble.

_Tick tick tick tick._

He closed his eyes, knowing his seconds were running out. He felt the rope slide over his head and gulped. He took one last breath of air. He felt the box rock, getting ready to be kicked out from under him.

**00:00:00:08**

**00:00:00:07**

**00:00:00:06**

”WAIT!” cane a cry from somewhere in the crowd. “STOP THIS INSTANT!”

**00:00:00:05**

Varian waited...

But nothing happened. He opened his eyes, hoping it had just been quick and he hadn’t need to have felt his neck snap. But he was met with shocked faces all turning towards the source of the voice.

The source of the voice was one the alchemist was shocked to see.

Rapunzel was running through the crowd, plowing through the people with Eugene, Lance, and some strange woman behind her.

And the princess looked _livid_.

The rope was yanked off his neck by Pete, who’d ran up along with Stan the moment the princess had burst from the tunnels.

Varian’s knees shook before he ultimately collapsed in the guard’s arms, eyes rolling as he passed out, every ounce of energy he’d once had leaving upon the mass relief he’d felt when realizing he wasn’t going to die.

**_00:00:00:01_ **

He wasn’t going to die. Not today. His clock was still going. It wasn’t time for it to hit zero. How much time he had? Who knows. But one thing he made up in his unconscious mind was that he wasn’t going to take it for granted. He wouldn’t waste away feeling sorry for himself anymore.

Varian would do what he always wanted to: help people and study alchemy.

His time... would be used to the last second.

 _Memento vivere_ , Varian.

**Author's Note:**

> Translations (Latin to English)
> 
> Memento Mori (the title) – Remember death  
> Tempus non observat – time waits for no one  
> Unius anni finivit – one year has ended  
> Memento Vivere – remember to live
> 
> Alright, I hope this was okay at the least. I was in feels so I wasn’t really caring how well written it was when I actually wrote it 😂 I’ve never written Varian in prison either so that’s probably off but oh well. Might go back and fix things (like typos if I find any) later.
> 
> Hope y’all enjoyed! Memento Mori, my friends 🖤🤍 ⏳


End file.
